And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
He spoke in front of his fellow officials and the army of Samaria, saying, 'What are these weak Jews trying to do? Do they think they can fortify themselves? Do they plan to offer sacrifices? Do they think they can finish in a day? Can they bring these burned stones back to life from piles of rubble?'
This verse shows Sanballat mocking the Jewish people's efforts to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, ridiculing their strength, their faith, and their ability to restore what had been destroyed.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Nehemiah, the Jewish people had returned from exile in Babylon and were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah's leadership to restore their city's defenses. Sanballat, a Samaritan official and opponent, mocked the Jews publicly, questioning their strength and ability to complete the project quickly, as this reflected the broader hostility from neighboring groups who feared a resurgent Jerusalem. This ridicule was a common tactic in ancient Near Eastern conflicts to discourage and demoralize enemies.
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